Tongue-support



(Model) I W. B. McPAIL;

TONGUE SUPPORT. I No; 253,875. Patented Feb.Z1.188Z.

WI TJV' ESSES flttorneys U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICEa WELLINGTON B. MCFAIL, OF VASSAR, MICHIGAN.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,875, dated February 21, 1882.

- Application filed December 9, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LWELLINGTON B; MOFAIL, of Vassar, in the county of Tuscola and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference'bein g had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel device for holding up the thills of a buggy or carriage, whereby when the vehicle is not in use the thills can be held up from the ground so as to prevent injury to them, and also so that the horse can be easily brought into position for hitching up and the thillsbe then lowered into the required position. These objects I attain by means of the devices illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which-'- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement in connection with one of the thills and the axle. Fig. 2 is a top view of the spring- 2 5 holder.

A indicates one of the thills, which is pivoted by the coupling-pin B between the ears of the thill-coupling. This thill-coupling is clipped "upon the axle by means of the clip 0, and is 5: of ordinary construction.

E indicates my improved spring-thill support or holder. This device at its lower end consists of a metal bar, 6, which is held rigidly against the under side of the axle by means 3 5 of the screw-threaded ends of the clip, which pass through holes in said bar, the nuts of the said clip being tightened up against the bar, as illustrated. This bar a terminates at the rear of the axle in a rod, 0, which is U-shaped,

40 and which gradually flattens and becomes a The spring-rod extends upward- When the thill is raised it will strike the forward oblique guide, 0 and force the spring to one side until thethill passes in rear of the guide 6 after which the spring will assume its normal position, and the thill be held nearly vertically by the guide a against which it will rest; but when the thill is depressed it will act against said'guide or obliqued portion of the spring, thus forcing the spring to one side, and then passing to the front of the same, it can be lowered to proper position for hitching up the horse.

It is understood that a spring-support will be provided for each one of the thills, so that both thills can be evenly and steadily supported.

This invention obviates the necessityof propping up the thills with a stiek, and it also avoids all danger of the horse stepping upon them. v

I am aware that spring-supports have been heretofore provided for tonguesand thills which will clasp the same and hold them in an upright position, as in my invention, and such I do not wish to be understood as claiming broadly as of my invention, as it consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and specified.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The herein-described spring thill or tongue support, constructed in one piece, and comprising the U-shaped rod 0, gradually flattened so So as to be capable of a lateral spring movement, and continued upwardly to form two oblique guides, 0 0 above which is formed a loop, 0 serving as a handle, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the'purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WELLINGTON B. MOFAIL.

Witnesses:

WILL J. P. MOEAIL, W. A. WHITE. 

